October 2008

2008-09 Events

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For a full calendar of College events, please click here.

October 2, Thursday
Symbols of Eternity or Mirrors of Changing Values? Ritual Bronzes and the Painting of Nature in Chinese Culture
4:30 P.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Museum of Art, Robert F. Reiff Gallery of Asian Art
Colin Mackenzie, Robert P. Youngman Curator of Asian Art, gives a gallery talk on the political, moral, and aesthetic values embodied in Chinese bronzes and painting. Free
Limited capacity; please arrive early as this event may reach capacity.

October 3, Friday
Compás de Nicaragua: Women in Action Dance
4:30 P.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Dance Theatre
Dance performance featuring traditional dances and music of Nicaragua. The performance also includes the story of Women in Action (WIA), impoverished women living in one of the poorest settlement of Managua, Nicaragua; street vendors who sell what they can on the streets in order to provide for their families, and how they have been able to work together to create projects that have drastically improved health, nutrition, and education in their community. Segments of a video about WIA will also be played throughout the performance. There will also be an information table and an exhibition of gourd art from WIA’s art cooperative. Sponsored by the Office for Institutional Planning & Diversity, Alliance for Civic Engagement, Women's and Gender Studies-Chellis House, the Dance program, and the Mahaney Center for the Arts. Free

October 3, Friday
Fall Family Weekend Concert
8:00 P.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
Middlebury faculty and student performers come together to share with family and friends their love of music making. They perform works by celebrated American composers Margaret Bonds, Nicholas Scarim, Aaron Copland, and George Gershwin, as well as several American Negro spirituals. Hosted by tenor François S. Clemmons, the concert features the College Choir, with Jeffrey Buettner conducting, and members of the College Orchestra. Free

October 4, Saturday
Persepolis
3:00 and 8:00 P.M., Dana Auditorium
Set during Iran’s Islamic revolution, Persepolis is an enthralling, animated feature about the coming of age of Marji, an outspoken Iranian girl. Based on the autobiographical graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, the story follows Marji as her natural precociousness is dampened by religious extremists. Directors Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud offer a window into a crucial chapter of 20th-century history that is “full of warmth and surprise, alive with humor and a fierce independence of spirit.”—A. O. Scott, New York Times. Jury Prize, Cannes Film Festival; Academy Award, Best Foreign Language Film. Sponsored by the Hirschfield International Film Series. (France, 2007, 95 minutes) Free

October 5, Sunday
Ken Cowan, organ
3:00 P.M., Mead Memorial Chapel
After studying at Curtis and at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, organist Ken Cowan held important church organ positions in New York and Philadelphia and is now on the faculty at Westminster Choir College in Princeton. He has been a featured artist at the national convention of the American Guild of Organists, a meeting often featured on the great radio program, Pipedreams. At Middlebury, he plays works by Bach, Vierne, Liszt, and Reger. Sponsored by the Middlebury College Performing Arts Series. Tickets: $20/15/5
For more information, please click here.

October 6, Monday
Behind-the-Scenes Lunch and Discussion:
The Kite Runner
12:30 P.M., Wright Memorial Theatre
American Place Theatre performer Arian Moayed introduces this stage version of Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner and shares insights about culture and class in 1970s Afghanistan. Lunch is provided. Free

October 6, Monday
The Art of the Shimmy:
Bellydance Workshop with Mira Betz
7:00 P.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Room 109
An exhilarating and challenging workshop, designed to be accessible to all levels, and as valuable for the intermediate and advanced student as for the beginner. Hailed for its blood-pumping drills and mind-bending layering, this workshop will lead students step-by-step through 4/4 shimmies, the freeze, and techniques of layering shimmies and isolation. Sponsored by the Dance Program. Cost: $15. Pre-registration required; 802.443.5245. The workshop will only be held if a minimum of 15 students pre-register.

October 6–7, Monday–Tuesday
The Kite Runner
7:30 P.M., Wright Memorial Theatre
From the first novel about contemporary Afghanistan to be written in English, this verbatim theatrical adaptation portrays the improbable friendship between two boys on opposite ends of their society. Set against the tumultuous backdrop of Afghanistan in the ’70s, the play is a profound exploration of courage, betrayal, and devotion. From the novel by Khaled Hosseini, performed by Arian Moayed of American Place Theatre (APT), and adapted and directed by APT artistic director Wynn Handman. Sponsored by the Middlebury College Performing Arts Series and the Theatre Program. Tickets: $20/15/5
For more information, please click here.

October 8, Wednesday
Mira Betz, Bellydancer: A Lecture/Demonstration
7:00 P.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Dance Theatre
Combining elements of Middle Eastern and North African dance with her own expressive style, Mira Betz demonstrates and discusses the appeal and misunderstandings of bellydance in the U.S. A sought-after performer, choreographer, costumer and teacher, Mira has a solid foundation in contemporary, traditional and ritual dance forms. She teaches in the San Francisco area and at gatherings of Middle Eastern dance professionals throughout the U.S. Join us to learn more about the artistic, intercultural exchange between the U.S. and countries of the Middle East. Sponsored by the Dance Program, Brainerd Commons, American Studies, Religion Department, and the Academic Enrichment Fund, among others. Free

October 9, Thursday
The U.S. in Afghanistan: Challenges and Opportunities
7:30 P.M., Robert A. Jones '59 House conference room
In association with the Performing Arts Series presentation of The Kite Runner, the Rohatyn Center for International Affairs hosts a panel discussion with Middlebury College students from Afghanistan. Panelists include Shabana Basij-Rasikh '11, Mirwais Hadel '12, Bilal Sarwary '10, and Tabasum Wolayat '12. Cosponsored by the Kevin P. Mahaney '84 Center for the Arts and the Center for Teaching and Learning. Free

October 16, Thursday
Collecting Antiquities in the Age of Cultural Repatriation
4:30 P.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Room 221
Pieter Broucke, associate professor of history of art and architecture and associate curator of ancient art, gives a slide lecture highlighting the museum’s recently purchased early Cycladic figurine. He discusses illegal excavation, forgeries, and the diligence museums must exercise in scrutinizing provenance and authenticity when acquiring antiquities. Cosponsored by the Department of History of Art and Architecture, the Rohatyn Center for International Affairs, the Program in International Studies, Brainerd Commons, and the Middlebury College Museum of Art. Free

October 16-18, Thursday-Saturday
13th Annual First Years Production - Discover: Scenes of Unearthing
Directed by Jeanne LaSala
8:00 P.M. on Thursday, 8:00 P.M. and 10:30 P.M. on Friday, and 8:00 P.M. on Saturday; Hepburn Zoo
Discover: Scenes of Unearthing is a compilation of short scenes drawn from plays written at the turn of this century. Each scene touches on the theme of discovery: the discovery of love, deception, loss, greatness, and the forces beyond our control that drive the universe. Hands will get dirty, boundaries will be crossed and cards will be thrown down. Experience the unearthing. Tickets: $3

October 17, Friday
Kartik Seshadri, sitar
Arup Chattopadhyay, tabla
8:00 P.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
North Indian classical music reflects profound and disciplined imagination and requires the performers’ devotion to the improvisatory nature of the music. For the listener, the music teaches patience, consideration, attentiveness, and surrender. This concert by masters of this fascinating genre features both sitar and tabla. Musician Rajeev Taranath, originally scheduled to appear on this concert program, will not perform due to illness. Sponsored by the Middlebury College Performing Arts Series. Tickets: $20/15/5
For more information, please click here.

October 18, Saturday
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
3:00 and 8:00 P.M., Dana Auditorium
Julian Schnabel (Before Night Falls) adapts of the true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, the Elle France editor who suffered a stroke that paralyzed his entire body—except his left eye. Using that eye to blink out his memoir, Bauby eloquently describes his interior world, from the psychological torment of being trapped inside his body, to his imagined stories about lands he had only visited in his mind. “You won’t have a more viscerally emotional experience at the movies this year.”—Lou Lumenick, New York Post. Best Director, Cannes Film Festival; Best Foreign Language Film, Golden Globe Award. In French with English subtitles. Sponsored by the Hirschfield International Film Series. (France, 2007, 112 minutes) Free

October 18, Saturday
Wine Tasting and Museum Tours
4:30 P.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Middlebury College Museum of Art
The Middlebury College Friends of the Art Museum hosts a special Membership Event to showcase the museum and all that the Friends membership group has to offer. Middlebury College students involved in the Museum Assistants Program give tours of the collection and current exhibitions, followed by a wine tasting by Andy McCabe from Vergennes Wine and Beverage matched with appropriate foods. This event has now reached capacity. No further reservations are available. Please feel free to contact Andrea Solomon at asolomon@middlebury.edu or 802.443.2034 for information about the next Friends of the Art Museum event.

October 18, Saturday
Middlebury College Choir, and
The Sound Investment Jazz Ensemble
8:00 P.M., Axinn Center
As part of the dedication for the Axinn Center at Starr Library, two ensembles from the Department of Music give public performances. First, the Middlebury College Choir under the direction of Jeffrey Buettner will perform selected works celebrating American poets in the Reading Room. Then The Sound Investment Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Dick Forman, performs their signature big-band swing and jazz. Free

October 20, Monday
Performance Improvisation with Lisa Gonzales
2:45 P.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Dance Theatre
Open for observers only. Free

October 21, Tuesday
Intermediate/Advanced Technique with Lisa Gonzales
4:30 P.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Dance Theatre
Free

October 21, Tuesday
Ballet Class with Annette Urbschat
7:00 P.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Room 109
Intermediate/advanced ballet class, sponsored by the Dance Program. Free

October 21, Tuesday (through November 4)
Sculptures in the Form of a Chair
Johnson Memorial Building, Pit Space
Sculpture students have been asked to create a work that responds to the idea of a chair, as a means of comfort or support, as a socializing device, as an object used in ceremony, or as a historical artifact. The resulting sculptures show how students have personalized the concept of a chair, while emphasizing its sculptural potential in both utilitarian and non-utilitarian forms. Sponsored by the Program in Studio Art. Free

October 21, Tuesday (through November 4)
Pinhole Camera Photography
Johnson Memorial Building, Pit Space
Students in John Huddleston’s black and white photography course present an exhibition of pinhole photography. The students’ images are contact prints made from large-format negatives exposed in cameras of their own design and construction. Sponsored by the Program in Studio Art. The opening of this exhibit has been delayed until Saturday, October 25. Free

October 23, Thursday
Advanced Beginning Technique with Darrell Jones
9:30 A.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Dance Theatre
Free

October 23, Thursday
The Contemporary Portrait in American Society
4:30 P.M., Starr Axinn Center, Reading Room 229
Richard Saunders, director of the Middlebury College Museum of Art and Walter Cerf Distinguished College Professor, gives a slide lecture about his current book, The American Face: Portraiture and Identity in American Culture. Reception to follow. Cosponsored by the Friends of the Art Museum and the Middlebury College Museum of Art. Free

October 24, Friday
Theatre Spring Production Auditions
4:15-6:00 and 7:00-9:00 P.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Room 232
For Middlebury College students: auditions for the spring, faculty-directed theatre productions (The Europeans by Howard Barker, directed by Richard Romagnoli; and After Mrs. Rochester by Polly Teale, directed by visiting lecturer Vanessa Mildenberg). Callbacks will be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 25 and 26. For details, contact the Theatre office at 443.5601.

October 24–25, Friday–Saturday
Lisa Gonzales ’94 and Darrell Jones:
Traitor
8:00 P.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Dance Theatre
What dynamics are energized when two people seek to push each other to the edge in relationship? Two sensitive, talented, and intrepid artists—both familiar to dance audiences at Middlebury—premiere this collaborative work packed with the elegance, awkwardness, humor, and poignancy that arise in human connection. Both performers are on the faculty of Columbia College in Chicago. Jones also performs with Bebe Miller, among others, and Gonzales with the improvisational ensemble, the Architects, and with puppeteer Chris Green. Both have brought their artistry to Middlebury in recent years, but this is their first performance together. Sponsored by the Middlebury College Performing Arts Series and the Dance Program. Tickets: $20/15/5
For more information, please click here.

October 25, Saturday
No End in Sight
3:00 and 8:00 P.M., Dana Auditorium
This staggering film examines the American decisions that led Iraq into lawlessness and civil strife. Director Charles Ferguson’s documentary combines interviews with American generals, administration officials, journalists, and soldiers, with terrifying footage of battle in a distant land. The gradual accumulation of simple facts results in a compelling portrait of disaster. “No End in Sight is the most coolheaded of the Iraq war documentaries, the most methodical and the least polemical. Yet it’s the one that will leave audiences the most shattered, angry and astounded.”—Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle. Best Documentary, National Society of Film Critics; Special Jury Prize, Sundance Film Festival. Sponsored by the Hirschfield International Film Series. (USA, 2007, 102 minutes) Free

October 28, Tuesday
DanceTalks: Maysoun Freij and Leyya Tawil
12:30 P.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Dance Theatre
Anthropologist Maysoun Freij shares her research in identity, power, and representation among Arab-American artists in New York City. Maysoun and Leyya Tawil, the Dance Program's artist-in-residence, discuss contemporary dance trends and contextualize the work Tawil is creating for the Dance Company of Middlebury's 2008-09 season. Join us for this dialogue and a sneak preview showing of Tawil's work, Radar. Free

October 29, Wednesday
The Jazz Rhythm Section in Performance
7:30 P.M., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Room 221
This special session of the Music Department’s Jazz Workshop focuses on how the rhythm section works. An all-star rhythm section (consisting of Dick Forman, piano; Paul Asbell, guitar; Glendon Ingalls, bass; and Jon Hussey, drums) demonstrates and discusses how they support the performances of featured student instrumentalists and singers. While the genre is jazz, the concepts are relevant to music groups of all styles. Free

October 30, Thursday
Commonplaces: Thinking about an American Architecture
7:00 P.M., Johnson Memorial Building, Room 304
Middlebury College’s 2008 Cameron Visiting Architect Brian Healy gives a public lecture as part of the “Architecture &…” series, jointly organized and sponsored by Middlebury College and Bread Loaf Architects, Planners, Builders. Healy’s lecture is based on his 2008 monograph of the same name that includes a collection of essays, observations, drawings, paintings, and photographs related to projects spanning the last 20 years in dozens of locations — from the Appalachian hills to the vineyards of Northern California, the Catskills to the west side of Chicago, and downtown Boston to the New Jersey shore. The lecture is co-sponsored by the Middlebury College History of Art and Architecture Department and the Cameron Family Arts Enrichment Fund, established in 2007 by the Cameron Family to support visiting artists in the Department of History of Art and Architecture and Studio Art Program. Free

go to November events